China remembers dead of Nanjing

ex-VAG · Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 445

Lest we forget. RIP all those who perished in atrocious circumstances.

China has been holding ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nanjing massacre.

Survivors attended the reopening of a memorial hall, built to remember an act that has come to symbolise imperial Japanese aggression in China.

Japanese soldiers carried out the killings in a six-week period after Nanjing was captured in December 1937.

Beijing says 300,000 Chinese civilians were killed, but some Japanese historians dispute this figure.

In the city, air sirens were sounded as people paused in silence to remember the victims.

The memorial hall which details the violence has been reopened after two years of renovations.

Its purpose is "to better preserve history... to never forget the past... to treasure peace and open the way to the future", Xu Zhonglin, a provincial Communist Party chief, told the French news agency AFP.

Alongside the officials and thousands of residents attending the ceremony were a number of survivors.

Twenty-five-year-old Xia Lu came with her grandmother, who lived through the massacre.

"Her father was killed by Japanese in 1937 and then her mother had no ability to raise her children, so she sent her children to other families," she told the BBC.

One elderly woman described how she had been five years old when a Japanese soldier gouged out her eyes with a bayonet.

The BBC's Michael Bristow, in Nanjing, says the anniversary is more than a commemoration of past events, and remains fresh in the minds of many.

He says that is partly because many Chinese people see history as a guide to the future - but also because of continuing research into the atrocities.

A new monument has just been unveiled to mark a previously unknown incident during the massacre in which 1,300 Chinese people died.

That story came to light only because a Japanese researcher persuaded former soldiers to tell their stories.

In Japan, the anniversary of the assault on Nanjing is not being commemorated officially.

Bodies of Chinese laid in ditch (File photo)
Japan was not officially marking the anniversary
One of the Chinese people attending the ceremony, Chen Fubao, now aged 75, had a message for the country whose forces carried out the slaughter.

Holding a photograph of his father, who was killed in the violence, Mr Chen told Reuters: "We hope that the Japanese government, especially those in the nationalist factions, will admit the truth in history and learn from the Germans.

"They should not cover up their crimes anymore."

Japanese prime ministers have apologised for the country's former militarism, but, according to the BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo, there are fringe elements in Japan who get a lot of publicity for their repeated denials that Japan committed atrocities during its military campaigns in Asia.

Some even deny that the events in Nanjing ever took place and, our correspondent says, this frustrates mainstream historians who try to give a more balanced view of what happened during the assault on the city.

Younger Japanese are frustrated, too, that their country is criticised still for events that took place more than half a century ago, he adds.

Many know little about what went on in Nanjing and care even less.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7141582.stm

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 749 Location: Beijing, PRC

I have Japanese friend who know very little about this. She not deny, just never taught. Problem is that there was no de-nazification program in Japan after the war like British do in Germany.

So many Japanese express "regret" for what happen but "regret" is not "apology" as it imply mutual misunderstand.

Nanjing must not be forgot but we should not blame young Japan people of today for this terrible thing. Young people not to blame and young Japan people are the most pacifist you find anywhere these days. They just not knowing so we must patiently educate.

I saw beautyful TV program recent of UK man who had been in Japan prison camp during war. He see many friends torture and killed and he hate Japanese and want nothing to do with them. Then unbelieve thing happen, his grandson meet Japan girl and marry her, he is most angry but she take him back to Burma-Siam railway and they go as family and visit graves and then they go to Japan, even Hiroshima and they are reconciled and love return.

I thought really wonderful thing that young could understand and reconcile and even take away hatred.

Jeff Minter · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 342

Jeff Minter · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 342

I'd just like to add, if there are any japs reading, we love you really.

and by "we", I actually mean our white friends. As long as you're female (or male with a sister), we will always welcome you.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 749 Location: Beijing, PRC

No that wasn't the issue. The love between the grandchildren repaired the hate the man felt. Sex was nothing to do it. The drive came from the girl wanting to atone for the past and to show respect for her father-in-law. She was quite beautyful and caring person.

We cannot go dragging the hate of earlier generations around with us if the world is to be repaired. We have to forgive.

As far as I know no Japanese ever kill any ancestor of mine so why should I hate? I can hate the crime but not any living person under sixty. An unrepentent older person in denial maybe but not a young person.

quietman · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 72 Location: Liverpool

ex-VAG · Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 445

Whilst we shouldn't tarnish the new generation of Japs with the old brush, we shouldn't let them forget.
Plus, how can we hate them, they make such fantastic goods Laughing

nearly everything I have electronic wise is Japanese!

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 1282 Location: High Wycombe, UK

Really ex-VAG and Mr Minter.

Watch what you are saying! Mad

Fruityboy · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 217 Location: London

Bukkake anyone?

ex-VAG · Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 445

Can't believe you posted that in this thread! Shocked

sandmanching · Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:18 am Post subject:

like americans and germans the bloody japs have tried to rewrite history by not including the atrocities they have committed. l for one was glad the atom bombs were dropped...the bastards deserved to die...haha heil hitler...still, water under the bridge and all that even though the river ran red...

Newsfeeds

Latest Posts

	Dimsum Forum Index -> Viewpoints	All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1